Our Builder Profile this month features Overkill Design, manufacturer of Fender licensed novelty items including guitar headstock tables, and many new exciting products. Jason Krzmarzick provides us with the history of the license agreement with Fender and shares with us the many new products from Overkill Design.

MH: Jason, Overkill Design is a custom builder of Fender licensed novelty items. Tell us a bit of how your relationship was formed with Fender, and how the company was founded?

JK: Overkill was started by myself and a close friend Matt Souther. We were originally in a band together and between the two of us, we have always wanted to run our own business. I was building a stand-up kidney shaped desk for myself and Matt helped out with engineering. It kind of just made sense. Word got around the ad agency I was working at and before we knew it we were building these types of desks for about 20 people. That's when we deiced to make it a business. We both have a hands-on mechanical background and it was basically the dream job we were waiting for.

The Fender story is a fun one. About three years ago we were looking closely at a Fender Telecaster guitar we have kickin' around the studio and thought, "those lines of the headstock would make a cool coffee table." so I did some measuring and drawing and then replicated the headstock in a large 4' long version. It looked so damn cool in my living room that we decided to take that very same table and ship it to Fender along with a well thought out proposal. The initial reception was chilly and then went completely dead. Long story short, we kept bugging them and 9 months later and several rounds of legal issues, we had ourselves a licensing agreement. I haven't seen that original coffee table since then, but have sold a respectable amount of tables that look just like it.

MH: Tell us about the products that Overkill offers and briefly describe each?

JK: The Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster tables make up about half our business. The other half is full-custom work that is brought in by local interior designers, architects and word of mouth. These pieces range from credenzas made of Wenge, reception desks for major ad agencies to a personal cocktail bar for a dude's home in Arizona. We are currently working on three new exclusive designs that will be added to our product line by winter.

MH: These products are truly authentic down to the smallest details. What do you feel make these products unique and collectable?

JK: We think it's all about details that make good design. Going back to the Fender tables, we did our homework by reading up on Leo Fender's vision and how it came about. Then we worked closely with Fender's own Custom Shop to make sure no detail was left out. For example, besides the artwork and specs coming from Fender themselves, if you flip either table over, you will find that even the bolt plates for the legs echo the guitar's design as well. The new Fender HotSeat is another example. These beauties were conceived in my living room as well. (Small confession: I am a drummer trying to be a decent guitar player.) I was practicing guitar and thought it would be great to have a place to store all my guitar junk- you know what I am talking about, pedals, straps, cords, tabs, books etc. So the HotSeat was the solution. It is a small Fender amp looking seat that was both a storage unit and a place to sit and rock out. This time we flew to Arizona and pitched the idea to the boys at Fender and it was a natural. We walked out with yet another licensing agreement and an instant hit.

Working with Fender and all of the guys involved has been a blast. They have treated us great and have bent over backwards to help us make it happen. It simply wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for their help and the Fender following. They have even opened the doors of Musician's Friend and Hard Rock Casinos.

MH: Who do you consider to be a typical customer? Does it seem to be an even mix with players and collectors?

JK: The typical customer is a huge Fender fan and is about 45 years old sitting on 5 very desirable electric guitars. The other customers are into cool things in general and just dig everything rock & roll. 95% of them play Stratocasters religiously. Great people. I have enjoyed talking with them and hearing about their music rooms.

MH: Any new products on the horizon, and do you envision licensing agreements with other manufacturers in addition to Fender?

JK: We are always thinking of the next design. We will be adding three products to our product line. Speaking of licensing agreements, we have something up our sleeves for SoCal Speed Shop and will be throwing something their way next summer. As far as Fender, we are still on the rise and having a blast. So like the follow up to the tables with the HotSeats, it will take us some time to outdo ourselves. In the meantime we will continue to have fun working with them crazy cats. With that said, I would like to give a shout out to BT.

Overkill Design
239 Southeast Sixth Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97214
Studio: 503-235-6143
Fax: 503-235-7686
Email: jason@overkilldesign.com
Website: www.overkilldesign.com